Chantix together with psychological and counselling support can become a real way to give up smoking.

Chantix together with psychological and counselling support can become a real way to give up smoking. Chantix belongs to smoking cessation medications, but is also used in other conditions. In Europe the drug is manufactured is marked as varenicline and manufactured by Pfizer.

The history of the medication can be traced from the World War 2, when the leaves of Cytisus were used to substitute smoking tobacco. After some researches in the 1960s the extraction of the plant had been used as a cessation aid in Europe. Thus the development of chantix at Pfizer had been a result of long-term study of cytisine analogs. After clinical trials Varenicline has been added to a list of approved for sale in the EU and the US medications.

Pharmacokinetics and action

The period of the drug half-life elimination is 20-24 hours, the active ingredients are excreted with urine and just 2 or 3% are oxidized.

Chantix belongs to partial agonists of acetylcholine receptor of nicotine and a full agonist of α7-receptors. The mechanism of action of the drug lies in partial stimulation of receptors without releasing dopamine as during tobacco smoking. It also reduces the ability of nicotine to bind to α3β4 receptors. The drug may also act as other receptors agonist which results in mood changes and tired feeling.

How to use?

Chantix usually comes in oral forms as pills or capsules and is recommended to use twice a day with at least one glass of water strictly after eating at the same time every day at least with 4-5 hours interval.

It’s recommended to set a specific date when you are going to stop smoking and begin the treatment with Chantix 7 days before the date. You may smoke within the first week, but you should try to give up between the 10 and 40 days after the first drug intake.

The average course of chantix treatment is about 84 days (12 weeks), in case if you succeeded to give up smoking it’s recommended to continue taking the drug within 8-10 weeks more to easily restrain yourself from smoking.

Precautions and side effects

Talk to your doctor if you have hypersensitive reaction or any allergies to the chantix components. The drug contains some not active ingredients which may cause allergies in combination with other drugs, thus inform the prescriber on the vitamins, supplements and any drugs you are going to combine with varenicline.

You also should inform your attending physician on any heart diseases or problems with kidneys you may have, as well as about any withdrawal symptoms you had have when tried give up smoking earlier.

Some undesired effects of the medication may be serious, we strongly recommend to get medical help at once if you have:

The information provided on this site is not intended to replace any advice given by your physician or other health care workers. Additionally, you should not attempt to utilize any of this information to treat or diagnose a medical problem without first seeking advice from a qualified medical professional. Further, it is vital that you read any and all instructions and precautions listed on the label of any medication you are prescribed. If you suspect you may be suffering from a medical issue please contact your doctor right away.